Clematis plant named ‘EVIpo005’

ABSTRACT

A new  Clematis  cultivar which is well suited to propagation in glasshouses with a tall growth habit, profuse, light green flowers, and continuous summer flowering. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for cultivation in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Botanical classification: Genus: Clematis. Species: viticella.

Variety denomination: ‘EVIpo005’.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention constitutes a new and distinct variety of Clematiswhich originated from a controlled crossing of the female parent ‘VenosaVilocea’, not patented, and the male parent ‘EVIpure’, not patented. Theresulting seeds were planted in a controlled environment. The newvariety is named ‘EVIpo005’.

The new variety may be distinguished from the female parent, ‘VenosaViolacea’, by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   1. ‘Venose Violacea’ has tepals which are Purple Group 77A to        White Group 155A, while the claimed plant has tepals which are        White 157D.    -   2. ‘Venose Violacea’ has anthers which are Purple 79A while the        claimed plant does not develop complete flower parts.

The new variety may be distinguished from the female parent, ‘EVIpure’,by the following combination of characteristics:

-   -   The claimed plant posesses a central dome configuration of        tepals while ‘EVIpure’ does not.

The objective of the hybridization of this Clematis variety forcommercial nursery culture was to create a new and distinct variety withunique qualities, such as:

-   -   1. A very long flowering season;    -   2. Evergreen foliage if protected form frost;    -   3. Good flower longevity;    -   4. Continuous flowering.

These qualities required improvement in Clematis varieties that were incommercial cultivation and the objectives have been substantiallyachieved in the new variety, as evidenced by the unique combination ofcharacteristics that are present in ‘EVIpo005’ which distinguish it fromall other varieties of which we are aware.

The seeds from the hybridization were germinated and evaluations wereconducted of the resulting Clematis plants in a controlled environment.

‘EVIpo005’ was selected by Raymond J. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen intheir Clematis development program in Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees,St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom in July, 1997.

Asexual reproduction of EVIpo005 by cuttings was first done by RaymondJ. Evison and Mogens N. Olesen in Domarie Vineries Les Sauvagees, St.Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, United Kingdom in July, 1997. Thisinitial and subsequent propagations have demonstrated that thecharacteristics of ‘EVIpo005’ are true to type and are transmitted fromone generation to the next.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying color illustration show as true as is reasonablypossible to obtain in color photographs of this type:

-   -   1. Bloom, upper side;    -   2. Bloom, lower side;    -   3. Stem, leaves, bud at ¼ opening, bud closed;    -   4. Stem and leaves;    -   5. Stem and juvenile foliage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE VARIETY

The following is a detailed description of ‘EVIpo005’, as observed inits growth throughout the flowering period in glasshouses at DomarieVineries Les Sauvagees, St. Sampsons, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UnitedKingdom. The observed plant is grown within an unheated glasshouse in 2liter containers. Plants are 2 years of age. Certain phenotypicalcharacteristics of the variety may vary under different environmental,cultural, agronomic, seasonal, and climatic conditions. Color referencesare made using The Royal Horticultural Society (London, England) ColourChart, 2001.

For a comparison, the nearest existing Clematis variety is ‘EVIrida’,described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,093. Chart 1 details severalphysical characteristics of the ‘EVIpo005’ and the comparison variety.

CHART 1 ‘EVIpo005’ ‘EVIrida’ Quantity of More than 50. 4 to 6. tepalsFlower longevity Long lasting Short lived as a cut flower Flower CenterInner “ruff” of Green bunch Green-White of sterile tepals. styles.

-   Parents: ‘Venosa Vilocea’×‘EVIpure’.

FLOWER AND FLOWER BUD

-   Blooming habit: Continuous.-   Flowering period: May through October.-   Flower bud:    -   -   Size.—20 to 30 mm in length, 10 to 12 mm diameter.        -   Bud form.—Short, obovoid.        -   Bud color.—Yellow-Green Group 145B.        -   Tepals.—Yellow-Green Group 149D.        -   Peduncle.—Surface: Smooth. Length: 90 to 120 mm average            length. Color: Green Group 137A. Strength: Horizontal.        -   Receptacle.—No receptacle observed.        -   Borne.—Compound cyme.-   Flower bloom:    -   -   Size.—90 mm diameter, 10 to 25 mm in depth on average.        -   Form.—Globular.        -   Color.—Upon opening: Upper surface: Yellow-Green Group 145A            to 149D. Lower surface: Yellow-Green Group 145A to 149D.            After opening: Upper surface: White Group 157D. Lower            surface: White Group 157D.        -   Variations.—Occasionally tepals will exhibit intonations of            Purple Group 77A in the form of spots less than 0.5 mm in            diameter.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Lasting quality on plant.—21 days.-   Tepals:    -   -   Tepal count.—6 outer tepals, open flat, surrounding 50 or            more inner tepals.        -   Shape.—Elliptic.        -   Cross section.—Flat.        -   Undulation of margin.—Weak.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Tepal apex.—Narrowly acute.        -   Recurvature of tip.—Outer tepals occasionally recurved.        -   Persistence.—Tepals drop off cleanly.        -   Arrangement.—Tepals are arranged regularly.-   Reproductive organs: The claimed plant has no reproductive organs,    and is completely sterile. The flower center is dominated by the    globe of inner tepals.

PLANT

-   Plant form: Climbing and spreading.-   Plant growth: Vigorous.-   Height: Seasons growth attains meters 2 to 3 meters.-   Spread: 1 to 2 meters.-   Hardiness: Trials to date show the variety hardy in USDA Zones 6 to    9.-   Stems:    -   -   Color.—Young wood: Green Group 137D, with intonations of Red            Purple Group N70A. Older wood: Greyed Orange Group 165C.        -   Internodes.—Cylindrical. Length 130 to 180 mm.        -   Petioles.—Length: 30 to 60 mm. Color: Green Group 137C.            Clasping: By winding leaf petiolus.        -   Petiolule.—Length 0 to 10 mm. Color: Green Group 137C.        -   Bark.—Young wood: Smooth. Older wood: Smooth.-   Plant foliage: Evergreen. Can vary between 1) Trifoliate, 2) 3    ternate leaflets in pinnate form, or 3) 5 leaflets in pinnate form.    -   -   Terminal leaflet size.—40 mm length by 25 mm width.        -   Simple leaf size.—50 mm length by 30 mm width.        -   Leaf shape.—Cordate.        -   Abundance.—Average.        -   Juvenile leaves.—Upper side: Yellow Green Group 144A. Lower            side: Yellow Green Group 144A.        -   Mature leaves.—Upper side: Green Group 137A. Lower side:            Green Group 137C.-   Plant leaves and leaflets:    -   -   Stipules.—Absent.        -   Petiole.—Length: 30 to 60 mm. Color: Green Group 137C.            Underneath: Without prickles.        -   Leaf edge.—Terminal leaflet margin is entire.        -   Shape.—Base of leaflet: Acute. Apex: Acute.        -   Texture.—Thin. Upper side: Glabrous. Lower side: Ribbed.        -   Surface.—Matte finish.-   Disease resistance: Subject to any disease that normally attacks the    species, however the variety is more tolerant to Mildew than other    Clematis known to us.

1. A new and distinct variety of clematis plant, substantially as hereinshown and described, as a distinct and novel clematis variety due to itsabundant light green flowers with good keepability, attractive longlasting foliage and compact growth, year round flowering underglasshouse conditions, suitability for production from softwood cuttingsin pots, durable flowers and foliage which make the variety suitable fordistribution in the floral industry.